The National tribune., 1887-11-10
MURPHYs CHICKENS.


How n Right tot Tat CUT or q bAn ScfApe.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Private Pat
Murphy was registering, daredevil soldier
that the regiment took great interest in. but
whether Gen. Belknap's 18th Iowa or Gen.
Sanderss 10th had hls name on its roster, will
say nothing about. Suffice is TO say, Pat was
as well known 10 the one rs the other, and
furnished the subject matter for many good
story. Whether true or not, most of the good
Jokes current in the regiment were laid on
Murphy's broad shoulders.
0n one momentous occasion, just before the
ushoriug in of what proved to be pretty biz
battle Pat skulked through the picket-line
lust before tattoo one night and Joined his
regiment, near headquarters. He had been out
ona
PRIVATE FoRAGIEG EXPEDITION,
and beneath his blouse reposed against his
manly breast two chickens. Pat had scarcely
unloaded and recovered his breath when q Cor
poral and guard presented themselves and de-
manded Private Murphy and that gallant
soldier was rushed off TO headquarters so fast
that his trembling limbs could hardly carry
him. Pat was a mighty good fellow, and we
felt very solemn TO see him marched OF 10
what promised TO be cOndign punishment.
But as he had left the chickens behind, we
bore up with reasonable philosophy, and the
pot was soon boiling.
In half an hour the pickets were firing; then
close by, and right out of their smoke emerged
Pat, yelling Fall in, !" and grabbing his musket
he was with us going 20 the front. Finally,
we had good breathing spell, and sat down or
laid low TO enjoy it, Pat, after taking final shot
at a PARKWAY mOss-covered tree, pretending he
thought il was q reb, sat down behind a big
log. "An' it's comfort this is" he said
But Pat" suggested one of the boys, "how
in the devil did you get out Of that chicken
scrape and line us again"
Chicken scrape be dom'd," replied Pat,
rising up with injured dignity, but suddenly
dropping at the zip of several passing bullets.
Can't gntlemin be
ESCORTED TO HEADQUARTERS
20 see the Ginoral, but We blaclzguards think
it's chicken scrape, likes as it wur yourselves?
Now, III tell We, b'ys jist how il wus," aud
Pat lit his pipe. as the story goes, stuck his
hat up on a ranrod for the rebs TO shoot at TO
entertain em while he told the story, and pro-
ceeded The fact u.s. b'ys, divil take me if
didn't think was going TO miss this scrimmage
aud catch the divil, an all on account of-but,
bliss my soul, b'ys, where's de chckensY"
Bilin, two miles back, if the rebs haven't
got EN-" answered one of Pats mess.
Pat looked solemn for moment, then bright
ened up.
Begorra, an suld chickens they wur, any
how-one of 'em wild spurs on him longer
than the Kurne'ls. Let 'em bile. But as
was saying, bys, the bloody guards halted
right aiOre the Gineral's tent and the Corporal
took me in, an brot down his gun at order
arms, after presenting, till he shook the fure.
Private Murphy says he. A little man with
q big cigar in his mouth was sittin' at table,
and lot Of officers stanin' round. Private
Murphy seq the little man, and he frowned at
me terrible 'Yez, sur says j, yer homer, il
IT, You have been absent two hours from
camp SEE he. 'Yis, yer honor, SEE i, and
H.. 4. - \ > y
chickens were Civ me by my cousin, when,
SEE he, Private Murphy an he frOwned
blacker than liver, the whole army has been
waiting on you, sur, and now you are here the
battle will cOmmince. Go 10 yer quarters sur >
and the officers scattered like wild geese,
abowin to me as they passed, and before /
could take a drink with
GINERAL GRANT
for that little man was HMM q mint the
big guns were roaring, an you saw me come
out of de smOke-an'-n
just then there was a rebel volley close on
our right flank, kind Of enflading our posi-
ton as VIC were at rest and Private Murphy
dropped his pipe, seized his musket and ex-
claming "Bys, the Gineral waited for me.
but, begorra, i won't wait for him. Let's re-
trate," and we did, on a dOuble-quck, till we
got back 20 the chickens, still "a-bilin'." Pat
remarked that night while we were doing
our level best as hungry men TO eat them, they
were the finest spring chickens" he ever
saw in his life, and he had picked 'em out of
300 just wanting 10 join the Union army
IAN, by's, il Gineral Grant don't want me
tonight, III show We where them biddies and
two
swATE LITTLE PIGS RoosT"
Pat now lives in Kansas on a farm. he
bought il with part Of the over 81 900 be
Grew as " arrears" and now enjoys his pension
lie really was badly wounded Int as ne once
conhdentially remarked 10 an old comrade al
Reunion, j wouldn't have cared so much for
the dom'd bullet rs tore me up but had two
turkeys on one shoulder and a pig on t'otheI
at the time, and only half a mile from camp
and the b'ys all waiting for me, an, begorra,
lost en- !"-HIGH PRIVATE Davenport, Iowa
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